Obviously, carrying an excessive amount of belly fat can lead to a variety of health problems, specifically cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes.
Having a spare tire or a ‘dad bod’ isn’t a sign that you're trendy. It simply means you haven’t found the time or the motivation to get rid of belly fat.
You’re not alone. The good news is that you can get rid of belly fat with a little help from the Fit Father Project.
Try our free 1-day meal plan to start changing your eating habits and get ready to do the 24-minute fat burning workout.
Here’s A Free Weight Loss Meal Plan For Busy Men 40+
Discover exactly what to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to lose belly fat & feel energized 24/7 without hard dieting...
Why is it Difficult to Get Rid of Belly Fat?
The usual reason that it seems hard to get rid of belly fat is that you are trying to spot reduce it. This approach simply does not work.
Studies also suggest that belly fat is generally more resistant to mobilization than fat on other parts of your body. This is why when you first start losing weight, you will notice fat loss everywhere but your belly.
What is Belly Fat?
Look round, and you will see many middle-aged men with excess weight around their belly. It happens because your metabolism slows as you age. If you keep eating the same, then your body will store the excess calories.
These are calories it used to burn but no longer does. This is usually due to less muscle mass on your body, which is your metabolic furnace.
There are actually two main types of fat:
- Subcutaneous – This is the fat that accumulates just below the skin level and changes the appearance of your body.
- Visceral Belly Fat –This is the most dangerous type of fat. It accumulates around your organs and restricts the flow of nutrients to them. This can cause long term health issues.
Both can be removed by following these tips.
Tips to Get Rid of Your Belly Fat for Good
Now it’s time to learn how to get rid of belly fat and become the ‘man of today’!
Tip #1 – Diet
Unsurprisingly, we have to look at what we eat. Instead of focusing on cutting sugar and unhealthy fat in your diet, you should adopt a positive approach to food.
Most foods are acceptable to eat providing you adopt the ‘perfect plate’ method.
A perfect plate is ½ vegetables, ¼ protein, and ¼ carbohydrates.
You can add a little healthy fat.
Take a look at our free 1-day meal plan to give you some inspiration.
Avoid processed foods and added sugars while aiming to consume 300 – 500 calories below your maintenance.
To find out your maintenance calories, use our calculator tool.
Tip 2 – Destress
Stress is an inevitable part of modern life. Unfortunately, it blocks testosterone production, interferes with your sleep, and inhibits your fat-burning potential.
Put simply, your body is focused on survival, not health.
You’re a dad and a hard worker with a hectic life. You can’t avoid stress completely. But, you can seek to minimize it by avoiding stressful situations and learning to breathe slowly. This will help you to stay calm.
Tip 3 – Exercise
Exercise burns calories. The more calories you burn, the more of your fat reserves you will need to use, especially if you are already consuming less calories than your body needs each day.
Your exercise must be in keeping with your current fitness levels.
You can walk, cycle, run, or lift weights. Do not attempt to spot reduce your belly fat through exercise. There are much better ways to spend the time you have available for exercise.
If your schedule allows, you should try to exercise at the same time every day. This will help you to adopt a habit which you will be able to stick to.
If you can’t exercise at the same time each day, make sure you book in your exercise sessions like you would do with a meeting or a doctor’s appointment.
It is said that exercise in the morning, even on an empty stomach, helps to boost your metabolism for the whole day. However, it is more important to choose a time that you can adhere to than to attempt to become a morning workout person when you hate mornings.
The higher the intensity of the exercise, the more calories you’ll burn and the faster you’ll be able to get rid of belly fat.
However, if you are not currently exercising, you must gradually increase your exercise intensity. This will help to prevent you from getting injured.
If you’re feeling fit, then try our 24-minute workout today!
It is also worth noting that regular exercise will help you to get rid of belly fat and keep it off.
Here’s A Free Weight Loss Meal Plan For Busy Men 40+
Discover exactly what to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to lose belly fat & feel energized 24/7 without hard dieting...
Tip 4 – Start A Food Diary
It can be time-consuming to log everything you eat, but it is a useful part of how to get rid of belly fat.
A balanced diet is essential. Your food diary will ensure you aren’t indulging in sneaky treats, which can destroy your belly fat burning efforts.
Start tracking your food, and you will probably be surprised at what you actually eat.
Tracking will also ensure you are accountable for what you eat, helping to keep you on track.